Learning to Live
by GLASS SUGAR HEART ATTACK
Summary: It finally happened: time for the trio to leave Hogwarts. They know they can do it, they know they have to do it, but that doesn't mean that they have to like it. As they struggle with any possible situation, they will slowly, but surely, learn to live.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING.  
A/N: ENJOY THE STORY!**

**Chapter One**

"Harry," Ron said, as he took the time to look at his best friend, "Today's our last day."

He nodded. "I know ... "

They were both sitting on the floor, in the corner of the abandoned Gryffindor Common Room. They had been sitting there for little under and hour, and up until that very moment, they had both been pretending to be very engrossed with reading their books. Neither was interested in the content of either book, they were secretly mulling all of this over in their heads.

They were at the end of their seventh year and Hogwarts was almost a thing of the past.

Their friendships had grown even more, they had formed new friendships, they had learned more than they thought possible, and they had matured more than ever.

Ron squinted a bit, thinking hard. He scanned the room quickly. "I think I'm gonna miss it."

"I think I'm gonna miss it too," Harry said slowly, "And now that I stop to think about it, I really don't have anywhere to live."

"Oh, _please_," Ron said, grinning, "You've got somewhere to live, you thick-head."

Harry looked up at him. "I really don't want to be a burden to your mom. And while she let me stay on holiday, I don't -- "

"Pfft. Please." He shook his head, "Like my mom would let you stay anywhere else. You're like her own son. Until we find somewhere, you're stuck with me, man. We'll be at the Burrow. Potter and Weasley at the Burrow. That's all there is."

Harry felt a grin spread across his face. "I appreciate it," he said. There was no way to describe how much he appreciated it. He was never going back to Number 4, Privet Drive. He was never going back to the Dursleys'. Not once, if he had any say in it.

They were both sitting a tad awkwardly in the silence that followed, for neither boy was good with showing their emotions toward each other, despite the best friend factor.

There was a small bang as Hermione walked into the common room and silently crossed the room to take a seat on one of the poofy couches, completely across the room from where Ron and Harry were currently talking. She didn't take out a book like normal, she just gazed at the floor.

After a few more moments passed without her saying a word to them, they looked at each other, concerned looks on both faces.

"Hermione?" they both asked cautiously, in unison.

She didn't answer, continued to stare at the carpet.

"Hermione." Harry stood up slowly, taking a small step forward.

She took her time to look up at him. "Yeah?" Her voice sounded small and a bit far away, confirming their thoughts that there was something wrong with her.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked, though they both knew the answer.

"Yeah ... I just can't believe ... "

They looked at her, with looks pressing her to continue.

"I can't believe that we're leaving!" She burst into sudden tears, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh, Hermione ... " they murmured together.

They both got up and came to sit next to her: Harry to her right on the couch, Ron kneeling on the floor, and what he hoped was a comforting hand on her knee.

They didn't know what to say -- they never knew what to say -- so, they just let her cry and didn't say a thing, hoping that she talk when she was done bawling.

"I really can't believe it," she sobbed, "I mean, this is our last day! We're going out into the real world now! Without Professor Dumbledore or our friends to protect us! We're not going to know what to _do_! I don't know if I can handle it!"

Ron shook his head. "D-don't worry about it, Hermione -- we'll be fine!"

"What if we loose touch?" she asked, taking in a shuddering breath. She looked panicked, as though this was something that could, and would, happen. "What if we never see each other anymore!"

"Oh, please, like that's gonna happen." Harry then smiled and shook his head, "I'm staying at Ron's until we find somewhere to stay. Somewhere to live. Then you can live with us, Hermione. It'll be fine."

She wiped her tears and smiled at him. "I suppose so ... "

"I'm gonna miss everyone else though ... " Harry looked slowly around the common room, "I'm gonna miss this school. Good times here. I'm gonna miss getting into trouble ... "

"Leaving school isn't gonna keep us from trouble," Ron pointed out, grinning.

"Well, it won't be quite the same ... "

Seamus, Dean, and Neville came tromping into the common room, chattering loudly.

Hermione took one look at them, made a small noise like a squeak, and started bawling all over again.

"What happened!" Seamus exclaimed, as the three of them quickly walked over.

"She's gonna miss you guys," Harry explained.

"Ohhh ... " Dean sat across from them and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "We'll see each other, Hermione," he assured her, "We'll make sure to talk to you a lot -- "

"Exactly!" Seamus said, "Dean, Neville, and I are gonna be roommates once we get out of here -- we'll have you guys around!"

Neville nodded vigorously. "And I promise that I'll write you all the time!"

She took a deep breath and seemed to think about it. She then jumped up and hugged all five of the guys in turn. "I love you boys!"

They smiled at her. Then they took the time to think about it and laughed at their situation.

"What I really can't believe is how fast time has passed," Ron said, "I think about it, and I can remember perfectly when we were all sorted ... "

"I know," Dean said, nodding, "I remember it too."

"I remember every year," Harry said, "Hit by hit."

"The Sorcerer's Stone," Ron said.

"The Chamber of Secrets and the Heir of Slytherin," Dean added in.

"Sirius and Pettigrew," Hermione said slowly.

"The Tri-Wizard Tournament and ... Cedric ... " Ron said rather quietly.

"Sirius and Voldemort," Harry interjected stolidly.

"Dumbledore, Snape, and the Horcruxes… " Seamus said, softly.

"That one ended okay, though," Ron said, trying to perk everyone up. "He ended up being okay… It was all for show… "

They all sat in silence for a few minutes. No one wanted to say anything to Harry, or to each other, for that matter. The years had flown by, and soon almost everyone knew everything that had been kept secret in past years.

"W-when are we due out on the Quidditch field?" Harry asked after a few minutes.

"In about an hour," Hermione answered blearily, "This is just like American Muggle graduations," she told them, "They call you up, and Dumbledore gives you a diploma, a certificate telling your achievements. And that's it," she sniffled, obviously trying not to cry again, "There'll be speeches too. And family watching from the audience."

The boys nodded slowly, absorbing this all.

They were leaving Hogwarts.

They were really doing it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"So. Here we are."

All of the seventh year students, there were about thirty of them, were sitting in solid, brown chairs, lined up in the center of the Quidditch field. The audience was in the stands, and Dumbledore and all of the teachers were on a stage in front of them. Dumbledore's voice had been magically magnified, so it was possible to hear him all over the grounds.

Most of the girls were crying. And even though none of the guys would actually cry, a good part of them wanted to.

None of them believed that this was it -- that this was the end of their education.

"I have enjoyed getting to know all of you. Some I've conversed with more than others," he said and smiled, "But, you've all showed courage and discipline and intelligence beyond belief. Graduating Hogwarts is no small feat. You've shown that you are now capable to be released -- to be let out into the real world and take on whatever is waiting for you there.

"I know that most of you are reluctant to leave. Some of you cannot wait. However, I will miss all of you. And I hope that some of you will miss me. And this school. Just know, that this school will never be the same without you inside its walls."

Most of the girls who hadn't been crying before were crying now. A fair few of them were desperately wiping at their faces, trying to not let on that they were bawling.

This was becoming more real than any of them wanted it to be. They wanted to continue believing that they were still children. That they were still kids, waiting to learn, ready to be looked after.

"So, with that note, allow me to get you up here, give you your diploma, and release you into the world." He paused and allowed this to sink in before saying gently, "Hannah Abbott." A few cheers were heard from the audience.

The girl with long blonde hair stood up and walked up to the stage where Dumbledore was standing. No longer the little chubby girl with a pink face and blonde pigtails. He said something quietly to her before handing her a diploma. She walked back off stage and sat back down.

"Susan Bones."

The same thing followed for nearly ten people.

Watching their classmates make their way to their ticket for the future, made them all realize: they were growing up. Then were grown up and there was nothing they could do about it.

They couldn't ignore it anymore.

And there was no going back.

"Hermione Granger."

Yells came from the onlookers and Harry and Ron both cheered.

Hermione stood up straight, her face streaked with semidried tears as she walked a slow and stable walk toward Dumbledore and her other professors.

Harry looked back at Ron and they both smiled at each other.

Hermione took a deep breath when she reached the stage. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore ... "

He smiled wisely at her. "Hermione ... you will be truly missed. And I know for a fact that you've got wonderful friends who will always be there for you. There's so much that I have to say to you, about you. However, all of it has left me now. One thing I do know is, I do believe you've earned this. Congratulations." He handed her the diploma.

She stared at it for a moment, proving its authenticity. She then smiled at Dumbledore once more, sniffled, and allowed a new batch of tears to roll down her cheeks before turning around to walk back and sit down.

A few more people were called up.

Dumbledore paused and smiled before saying lightly, "Harry Potter."

Whoots, whistles, and hollers were heard and Harry could hear the entire Weasley family from the stands, not to mention nearly everyone around him.

Harry smiled as he stood up and walked toward Dumbledore.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to complete this trip or to turn around and bolt, delaying the entire event.

He decided on the earlier, and he swallowed and continued to make his way toward the stage, fists balled and head held high.

"Here we are at last," Dumbledore said and smiled when he finally got there.

"Yeah, Professor ... "

"Well, Harry. You have proved to us that you can achieve way beyond what's expected of you. You have surpassed everything thrown at you. You are truly a legend, Harry. For all the things that we've been through, I really hate to see you go. But, I know that letting you go into the world is giving the world a far better gift than I'm giving you."

"Thanks, Professor. I'm definitely gonna miss being here."

"And we'll miss you. So, Harry. This is it. You deserve it far more than most," he said and handed him the diploma, "Keep in touch."

Harry smiled, nodded, and sat down.

After a few more people walked up and Professor Dumbledore smiled again.

"Ronald Weasley."

The Weasley family plus a few in the stands cheered and most around him cheered, just as for Harry.

He grinned like a fool before standing and walking up to Dumbledore.

This was what he had been waiting for. He went through boring classes, agonizing homework, and grueling essays to get to this point.

And he wasn't sure that he wanted it now.

"Ron," Dumbledore said and smiled at him.

"Professor," he answered, a smile growing on his face as well.

"I'll say the same thing to you as I did to Harry and Hermione: you will truly be missed. It will be different without you three here. And definitely a lot more quiet."

Ron chuckled and blushed a bit.

"But, I know that you learned and gained a great deal here and even if you never admit to it, you will be different after leaving here."

"I know ... " he said nodded, "There's no denying that."

"I'm not sure that I'm quite ready to release you three, but I'm afraid that I have to. So, Ron. I give this to you, in hopes that you will make something great of yourself."

"I'll definitely try," he said softly and then smiled, taking the diploma.

Ron grasped it tightly in his hand, perhaps crumpling it a bit, as he walked and sat back down.

Two more people were called up before Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Well, ladies and gentleman ... you are all free. Go on, get on with your lives. However, don't forget to always eat until you are full, and keep friends close. Congratulations. You will all be remembered and missed." He began to clap, which started a loud applause throughout everyone sitting in the Quidditch field.

And that was it.

They were free.


End file.
